IPSWICH REVIEW (WED, JAN 21)

A review of the meeting held at Ipswich on Wednesday, January 21.

Race 1:

3yo & Up Maiden Handicap - 1680m
1st - Island Tycoon; 2nd - Hard Luck; 3rd - Battle Of Kapyong

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Kelly Schweida: “His mother (Vulnerable) won an Oaks in Western Australia. He did a good job here second-up over 1680m. He’s run a slow time, but he is out of a staying family. He wasn’t pressured to do anything more. All you can do is win your race.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Island Tycoon): 2.00 out to 2.50.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Shortly after the start, Thumpa Girl (A. Merritt) shifted out and brushed the hind quarters of Island Tycoon. Thumpa Girl then bucked and was retired from the race. Connections were advised that Thumpa Girl must trial satisfactorily before racing again. Full On Party (W. Clasohm) was inclined to over-race rounding the first turn. Near the 600m, Golden Chase (M. Hellyer) had to be steadied and eased away from the heels of the tiring Full On Party.
Full On Party and Eyesagreen (A. Spinks) both compounded over the latter stages of the race and finished a distance from the main body of the field. Post race veterinary examinations of both horses failed to reveal any abnormalities. The connections of Full On Party and Eyesagreen were advised to restrict their horses racing to country areas until such time as their form had improved to a standard of competitiveness for TAB meetings.


Race 2:

3yo & Up CG&E Maiden Plate - 1200m
1st - Brave Attempt; 2nd - Status King; 3rd - Tora San

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Tina Cotsiopoulos: “He got his tongue over the bit in his first start for me at Eagle Farm. We put the tongue tie on him today and I think it made the difference. He did a good job but he had to work hard and I think he’d had enough at the end, although I do think he’ll get a little bit further as time goes on.”

Jockey Andrew Spinks: “He was first-up on a heavy track at Eagle Farm last time. Being first-up on a heavy track takes a lot out of a horse ... and he got his tongue over the bit as well. Today the going was on top of the ground and they put the tongue-tie on him. Different result. He still knocked up the last bit. He missed ... no, he didn’t miss a gallop through the week, but he just didn’t work hard enough in it. I didn’t ride him in the gallop. I just thought he should have gone harder. Another day I galloped him myself and made him work a bit harder. He’ll improve. I think he’s going to go a lot better.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Brave Attempt): 15.00 steady.
Favourite (Bi Qualo): 3.40 out to 3.80 in to 2.60. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Galaxy Stalker became fractious in the barriers and dislodged its rider, K. Wharton. The horse then broke loose from the barriers and the start was delayed for several minutes until the horse was recaptured. Trainer S. Watters was advised that Galaxy Stalker must barrier trial satisfactorily prior to its next race start.
Raw Sienna (J. Taylor), which jumped away awkwardly, was cramped shortly after the start between Tora San (M. Hellyer), which jumped inwards, and Another Sequalo (E. Kehoe), which missed the start and shifted outwards. Bi Qualo (G. Colless) was tightened for room on jumping away between Lightning BLue (T. Pannell), which jumped away awkwardly, and El Khartum (T. Treichel), which jumped outwards. Another Sequalo was inclined to over-race approaching the first turn. Lightning Blue (T. Pannell) raced three wide for the entire race. Tora San was inclined to lay out throughout.
When questioned regarding the performance of Another Sequalo, trainer S. Randall stated that the horse had worked well in preparation for today's race and was at a loss to explain the disappointing performance. Apprentice E. Kehoe stated that Another Sequalo travelled well until the 600m, however the horse could not sprint when the pace quickened and did not finish the race off as expected in light of its previous start at Murwillumbah when it ran home well on a rain affected track. Trainer S. Randall undertook to notify stewards of any abnormality that may come to light which may have had a bearing on the performance today. A post race veterinary examination of Another Sequalo failed to reveal any abnormalities.


Race 3:

3yo & Up F&M Maiden Plate - 1200m
1st - Comatose; 2nd - Manaudou; 3rd - Ready Now General

Trainer Shaun Dwyer: “It’s a nice filly. She’s a half sister to a horse I’ve got called Unapred. She’s very well bred. I thought she would have won better than that to be honest. But when she got behind them, he (apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer) said she just didn’t want to race. Yeah, so she’s got a lot to learn by the look of it. I thought she might be well above average, and she still might be too. She might just take a little bit longer to get there.”

Apprentice jockey Michael Hellyer: “It was a hard fought win, but you’ve got to look at the time its run home. It ran home in thirty-three and a half. It flew home. I jumped it out the other day and it trialled enormous. I said to Shaun (Dwyer) I got to get onto this thing. I think it is a certainly. I was worried about the favourite, you know it has run good races, but I just couldn’t deny her on her trail the other day.
“Shaun wanted me to lead on her. I jumped out and I was off the bit scrubbing. I could not get to the lead, so I’ve taken the sit and as soon as I went ‘whoa’ she comes back too much – much more than you want, and the whole of the rest of the race I was off the bit most of the way. Like she barely, barely travelled. Shaun said don’t move on her until you get into the straight and get her balanced, because when she raced here first time she came off the track and didn’t handle the turn well. So on the home turn I was barely niggling at it and I didn’t really get fully serious on it until about 150m out, then I really got serious. I wasn’t one hundred percent confident coming around the home turn, but as soon as I gave her one smack, she kept responding. The other one fought us but my horse has got character as well as ability. It’s got guts and attitude. She’s tiny and that horse she fought out the finish with is much bigger than her but she still beat her. You get a one with both ability and attitude and you’ve got a good horse.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Comatose): 2.40 out to 2.60.
Favourite (Manaudou): 1.80 out to 1.90. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Rip Snorter Gal (L. Rolls), which was fractious in the barriers, was slow into stride. Fortynil (K. Wharton) jumped away awkwardly and missed the start. Passing the 1000m, Fortynil (K. Wharton) had to be steadied when momentarily placed in restricted room by Rip Snorter Gal (L. Rolls), which shifted in away from Laptop Shez (J. Taylor). Leaving the 700m, Rip Snorter Gal had to be checked away from the heels of the tiring Laptop Shez. Near the 200m, Double Royale (A. Spinks) was hampered as a result of Auanne (W. Clasohm) shifting in under pressure. Manaudou (J. Bowditch) was inclined to shift out in the straight, and nearing the finish brushed Comatose (M. Hellyer). Aurora Magic, which raced three wide throughout, was inclined to hang out in the middle stages. A further veterinary examination of Aurora Magic following the race failed to reveal any abnormalities. A post race veterinary examination of Laptop Shez revealed the filly to be sore in both forelegs. The filly's trainer, J. Bayliss, was advised that a veterinary certificate of fitness must be produced before the horse again races.


Race 4:

Class 2 Handicap - 1200
1st - Sneaky Squirrel; 2nd - Maharishi; 3rd - Telerian

Trainer Wayne Whitney: “He gets a very nervous.” Whitney was referring to Sneaky Squirrel’s wayward antics on the way to the start. “He doesn’t do it any other time ... in training, at home, anywhere. Only on race-days. We normally put blinkers on going over to the start. We thought we’d take them off this time and see how he goes.”

I asked if the gelding had displayed the tendency to play up at the track from day one.

Whitney: “He was alright his first start. Then we took him to Toowoomba and he didn’t like the night racing and he didn’t like the young boy that was on him. From that time on he has been nervous on race-days. We’ve tried most things to try and improve his manners. Today is the first time he has had a tongue-tie on during a race as well. It’s the new tongue-tie that Ron Maund designed. The other one didn’t seem to work. We tried it on him, but the new one is good. She’s only got a sprint at the end, so the instructions were pretty easy – just hold him, hold him, hold him as long as you can, then finish off.”

Jockey Mandy Radecker: “He’s a bit like his name suggests – sneaky. But, he’s alright. He’s actually not a bad horse underneath it. You’ve got to really let him be ... and just trust him that he’ll get home – and that’s what he did today. He got shuffled back a little further than I wanted. At one stage I thought I’d run fourth, to be honest, but he got a nice run and just got the splits at the right time. To me he is an honest horse and he took the gaps as they came to him.
“The stuff in here (the parade ring) is all just bluff on his part really. You let him take one step forward and he is as good as gold. I hacked him to the gates. I sat up on him. He just carries on beforehand, that’s all. The best we’ve had him is where he rips up the garden at Eagle Farm, but we stay on him. That’s only before the race though. In the race itself, he is actually a lovely ride.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Sneaky Squirrel): 5.00 out to 7,50.
Favourite (Telesto Warrior): 2.80 in to 2.20 out to 2.25. Finished fourth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sneaky Squirrel (M. Radecker) resented the tongue-tie and refused to proceed to the barriers. Permission was granted to remove the tongue-tie from Sneaky Squirrel and refit it at the barriers. A warning was issued to the connections of Sneaky Squirrel in relation to its behaviour. Telesto Warrior (G. Colless) and Maharishi (J. Kropp) came together on jumping away. A short distance later, Telesto Warrior shifted out and brushed Propheteer (M. Hellyer). A Secret Kept (B. Payne) was slow to begin.
Apprentice M. Hellyer reported that Propheteer was inclined to hang out throughout the race and did not finish the race off as expected. App. jockey I. French was severely reprimanded for using his whip excessively from the point of straightening until passing the 200m.
Stewards questioned M. Radecker and trainer W. Whitney as to the riding tactics adopted today as opposed to the general racing pattern of Sneaky Squirrel, in that on most occasions it races handy. Trainer Whitney stated that he had added a tongue-tie for the first time today as he was concerned that the horse may have been choking in its race due to over-racing when ridden on the pace. He further added that in the past the horse had been ridden forward in races of a distance shorter than 1200m, and with the addition of a tongue-tie today he had hoped Sneaky Squirrel would settle midfield, however due to the fast pace when several runners challenged for the lead, the horse settled further back in the field than anticipated. Apprentice Radecker added she had ridden the horse on occasions when settling midfield. Trainer W. Whitney added that Sneaky Squirrel may be better suited racing in this fashion. Stewards advised Mr Whitney of his obligations under the rules should he decide to vary the racing tactics of Sneaky Squirrel.


Race 5:

Class 1 Handicap - 1350m
1st - Dan Ch'I; 2nd - Dubby Boy; 3rd - Fennec Fox

Apprentice jockey Brent Evans: “He began well and I just positioned him wherever he was comfortable. I got him running comfortable throughout the race and I knew ... I thought the leader was always going to keep on going. But it wasn’t a real good sign for him to keep on going the way he was hanging. He looked like he didn’t want to be here today. I just got a beautiful run up inside him on the fence and the horse just fired. He did his best work over the last fifty.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Dan Ch’I): 7.00 out to 7.50 in to 5.50.
Favourite (County Raider): 2.90 out to 3.50. Finished fifth.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Starelie (R. Wiggins) and Upgrading (G. Colless) missed the start. Roamin’ Off (K. Banks) pulled hard rounding the first turn and the horse raced wide for the entire race. In Stone (S. Seamer) was also wide for the entire race. Dubby Boy (W. Moore) was inclined to hang out rounding the home turn. Near the finish line, County Raider (J. Bowditch) was cramped for room by Dan Ch’I (B. Evans), which shifted in under pressure. Kilkenny Queen (C. Eaton) had difficulty obtaining clear running in the straight. El Corona (C. Whiteley) was obliged to race wide throughout.


Race 6:

Class 2 Handicap - 2150m
1st - Body Double; 2nd - Crocodile Lass; 3rd - Ten Coronas

Trainer Rex Lipp (who saddled the quinella): “I thought her stable-mate was the probably the horse to beat – and that’s the way it worked. At that speed the leaders had to come back to their field and, as Scotty (Seamer) said, this mare’s got no pace early and you can’t make her do what she doesn’t want to do. She had a beautiful run when she came through and she always finishes a race off. She’s a genuine stayer.”

Jockey Scott Seamer: “They set quite a speed up front and she just can’t go the early speed, particularly when they go that fast. She’s a true stayer. She’ll stay all day and the speed helped her get home. With a slow speed she would have been handier.”

I asked Seamer if he always had his stable-mate (Crocodile Lass) covered as the two Rex Lipp trained runners surged forward together.

Seamer: “Yep. I tracked it up and always had it covered. She’s a little bit lazy as well my mare, but she had it well and truly covered, yeah. She did have a bit in hand. She is a better chaser. She won quite well and she’ll win a couple more. She’ll probably graduate to a city class.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Body Double): 2.10 in to 1.95 out to 2.10.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Sweet Opinion (R. Wiggins) and Shaddar (J. Letherby) jumped away awkwardly and missed the start.
French Venture (J. Murphy) got its head up and made the first turn awkwardly. As a result, Smart ‘N’ Crafty (G. Colless), Crocodile Lass (B. Evans) and Ella Cinders (R. McMahon) were all inconvenienced and forced wider. R. Wiggins reported that Sweet Opinion hung in throughout the entire race, and near the 800m, the mare hung in and made contact with Smart ‘N’ Crafty, forcing that horse in on to the rails.
When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Smart ‘N’ Crafty, G. Colless stated that the horse had travelled satisfactorily to the 800m, however at that point he received a bump from Sweet Opinion and as a result was forced in on to the rails and the horse was then under pressure from that point onwards. Trainer R. Heathcote informed stewards that it was his intention to spell the gelding.


Race 7:

Class 3 Handicap - 1680m
1st - Costa Mucho; 2nd - Bang On Broadway; 3rd - Spin Zero

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Bryan Guy: “Look, he did a good job. The other day he was outclassed in the Magic Millions race where he got a long way back and they all had an idea of getting out wide that day. I still reckon if he cut the corner he might have finished around the middle of the field. But dropping back in grade, he gave the second horse 4kg so he hasn’t done a bad job. The wide draw wasn’t that much of a disadvantage, but we still had to make a plan. Glen (Colless) said he’d be running fourth or fifth. Well he wasn’t. He was running second. But, however the plan worked out, we got the end result we wanted.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Costa Mucho): 2.50 out to 2.70 in to 2.30.
The winner was the favourite.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
After leaving the 1500m, Naniwa (M. Hellyer) which was inclined to over-race, had to be steadied away from the heels of Bay Lady Pay (J. Bowditch). Spin Zero (M. Speers) was inclined to lay out rounding the home turn and made contact with Costa Mucho. At the finish line, Costa Mucho and Spin Zero came together as a result of Spin Zero being inclined to lay out and Costa Mucho shifting in.

STEWARDS RACE DAY SUMMARY:
Summary of action concerning thoroughbred horses:
Horses swabbed:
All winners.
Pre-race blood samples: Lucky Latar, Full On Party, Radio Star, French Venture, Silver Smith, Naniwa.